The Cagliari light rail system was created through a rebuilding, electrification, and modernization of an urban-suburban section of a previously existing 950 mm (3 ft 1+3⁄8 in) gauge railway line operating out of Cagliari, owned by Ferrovie della Sardegna.

Once the construction was completed and the vehicles ready for use, a much greater frequency of service than existed previously on the line would be introduced, using the new trams and stops.

Service was inaugurated on 17 March 2008[1] on the initial route of 6.8 km (4.2 mi) between Piazza Repubblica, in Cagliari, and San Gottardo station, in Monserrato.

[7][8] A contract for the purchase of three more trams was awarded in 2013 to Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF), for a five-section, 32.9-metre-long Urbos 2 model.

[9] The CAF cars were delivered in November 2016, but delays were encountered in obtaining authorisation to place them in service.